Can I Simply Listen To Affirmations Or Must I Repeat Them For Change

Learning a new language tin can be a tricky business; simply you want to get information technology right. Right?

When you are learning English, a lot of effort is put into picking up vocabulary, spelling, reading and writing.

However, the expanse where your learning becomes most crucial is when it finally gets put into do – not just in the classroom, simply in real life. In the classroom, be it online or in a schoolhouse, someone is at hand to listen, to support, to test you and shape your learning.

But how tin you brand sure yous understand what's going on once you get out into the world and begin to practice your English? Often every bit we begin to practice our new-found language skills, we realize that the fashion words sound in conversation can exist very different from how nosotros learned originally. Accents, speed, slang and idiomatic variances can mean we feel very lost – almost as if the other person isn't speaking English at all.

Here is the EF English Live guide to helpful phrases and words to apply when you're non quite sure what someone is telling you…

Formal

These short phrases are polite means to communicate that you didn't hear or don't understand something in the English language.

Sorry?
Excuse me?
Pardon?
I beg your pardon?
[this is particularly formal and at present more often than not used in England]

Longer formal sentences

These sentences will help you when y'all don't sympathize something even though you have heard it.

Deplorable, I'm afraid I don't follow you.
Excuse me, could y'all repeat the question?
I'm sorry, I don't understand. Could you say information technology over again?
I'm sorry, I didn't grab that. Would you lot mind speaking more slowly?
I'thou confused. Could you tell me again?
I'thou sorry, I didn't understand. Could you echo a little louder, please?
I didn't hear you lot. Please could yous tell me once more?

Informal

These are more mutual, casual, conversational ways to ask someone to repeat themselves, or communicate your lack of agreement. Some are more than informal (i.e. rude!) than others.

Sorry? – most useful for when you only didn't hear
Sorry, what? – useful for not recognizing the sound y'all heard
A fiddling more than informal (can be rude)
'Scuse me? – a more casual version of 'excuse me'
Huh? – not quite a word but a audio; careful how y'all use it as it can sound rude; as a audio is more commonly associated with 'I don't get it' or 'I don't empathise' rather than 'I can't hear you'
What? – sometimes this can seem aggressive, be careful!
Eh? – a sound usually used to communicate that it is hard to hear/decipher someone
Hmm? – a sound used when you are a flake more absent-minded or peradventure not listening so hard

Slang

Come up once more?
Say what? – this is particularly American English
Pass that past me again?
Yous what? – this is more mutual in the United Kingdom
I don't get it… not a question but a statement, pregnant simply 'I don't empathise'

Idioms

Idioms are sayings item to their language of origin. Hither we take a look at three that yous might use if you wanted to find a more creative way of proverb something that sounds complicated, unclear or hard to understand.

I can't make head nor tail of what you're saying.
This is all Greek to me.
Pitiful this is every bit clear as mud to me.

Wil

Wil is a writer, teacher, learning technologist and keen language learner. He's taught English in classrooms and online for virtually 10 years, trained teachers in using classroom and spider web engineering science, and written east-learning materials for several major websites. He speaks four languages and is currently looking for some other one to start learning.